HCM City: More exclusive streets for tourism coming

A store on the street for traditional herbal medicine shopping in HCM City. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City
(VNA) – More streets specifically for tourism will be designated in HCM City in
the future, heard a programme named “Dialogue with the city’s authority” with a
focus on boosting the local tourism industry.

Speaking at the
April 22 programme, Truong Thi Minh Kieu, Vice Chairman of the People’s
Committee of District 5 said the district will launch a street for gold and
silver trading on April 27, besides a well-known street for traditional herbal
medicine.

Gold and silver
businesses have been developed since the 1980s along several roads of the
district, such as Nhieu Tam, Nghia Thuc and Bui Huu Nghia where the unique
culture of silver craft villages in the Saigon – Cholon area is preserved.

District 5 plans to
turn Nguyen Trai street into a fashion world for tourists.

Statistics by the
municipal Department of Tourism show that tourism contributes an average of
about 80 trillion VND to the city annually, accounting for 9 percent of the
Gross Regional Domestic Product.

The southern
economic hub hopes to welcome 7 million international tourist arrivals and 25
million domestic visitors to earn 120 trillion VND in revenue this year.

Many things need to
be done to fulfill these goals, Director of the municipal Department of Tourism
Bui Ta Hoang Vu said, suggesting that not only authorities but also local
travel agencies and residents play a role in helping the city become a more
appealing destination.

Local authorities
should work to ensure social security and food safety, particularly by reducing
pickpocketing and robbery.

The city has focused
their tourism promotion efforts on several overseas markets, for example,
Russia, Japan and India.

At a meeting on plan
to develop tourism on April 21, Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s
Committee Tran Vinh Tuyen said the city will develop its signature tourism
products and host at least one festival every month.

It has considered
hosting an annual festival for Vietnam’s “ao-dai” in March or organising a
flower street during Tet holiday.-VNA